Tree ageing expert Janis Fry, 64, who has been studying yews for more than 40 years, said: “I’m convinced this is the oldest tree in Europe. It was planted on the north side of an ancient burial mound.

“It is so old that it has split into two halves, one 40 feet wide and the other 20 feet wide.

“It’s DNA has been tested by the Forestry Institute and its ring count is 120 per inch, which makes it over 5,000 years old.”

This means it outranks its nearest British rival, the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire Scotland, which is said to be up to 5,000 years old.